Test Charts / Vi Bilagare

2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test

Name: 2025 Friction Winter Tyre Test
Creator: Tyre Reviews
Published: 2025-10-22

Compare each discipline in the tested size. See the measured result, position and gap to the best tyre, then read the verdict for the trade-offs behind the finishing order.

Tested size: 235/60 R18
Tyres tested: 8
Disciplines: 13
Test vehicle: Volvo XC60

Read the measurements, not just the rank

Lower is better for braking distances and lap times; higher is better for subjective scores and aquaplaning speed. Bars start at zero. Read the gap alongside the position: adjacent tyres can be separated by very different margins.

Positions and gaps always refer to the full test field within each group. Selecting tyres does not recalculate rankings or change the best-in-test benchmark.

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Pirelli Ice Friction	43.63 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental VikingContact 8	44.41 m	+0.78 m	17 km/h
3Nordman North RS3 SUV	44.96 m	+1.33 m	22 km/h
4Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	45.13 m	+1.50 m	24 km/h
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	45.62 m	+1.99 m	27 km/h
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	45.75 m	+2.12 m	28 km/h
7Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	47.03 m	+3.40 m	35 km/h
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	47.36 m	+3.73 m	36 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 8.5% (3.73 m ≈ 0.8 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus would still be travelling at 36 km/h when the Pirelli Ice Friction had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Subj. Dry Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	5 Points	Best
1Pirelli Ice Friction	5 Points	Best
3Continental VikingContact 8	4 Points	-1.00 Points
3Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	4 Points	-1.00 Points
5Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	3 Points	-2.00 Points
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	3 Points	-2.00 Points
7Nordman North RS3 SUV	2 Points	-3.00 Points
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	1 Points	-4.00 Points

The difference between best and worst was 80% (4 Points).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	46.49 m	Best	0 km/h
2Pirelli Ice Friction	48.85 m	+2.36 m	29 km/h
3Continental VikingContact 8	50.3 m	+3.81 m	36 km/h
4Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	50.35 m	+3.86 m	36 km/h
5Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	52.76 m	+6.27 m	45 km/h
6Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	52.81 m	+6.32 m	45 km/h
7Nordman North RS3 SUV	53.29 m	+6.80 m	46 km/h
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	53.78 m	+7.29 m	48 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 15.7% (7.29 m ≈ 1.6 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus would still be travelling at 48 km/h when the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Wet Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	61.6 s	Best
2Pirelli Ice Friction	62 s	+0.40 s
3Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	62.6 s	+1.00 s
4Continental VikingContact 8	62.9 s	+1.30 s
5Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	63.9 s	+2.30 s
6Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	64.2 s	+2.60 s
7Nordman North RS3 SUV	64.7 s	+3.10 s
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	65.2 s	+3.60 s

The difference between best and worst was 5.8% (3.6 s).

Straight Aqua
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Pirelli Ice Friction	70.2 km/h	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	67.5 km/h	-2.70 km/h
3Continental VikingContact 8	67.1 km/h	-3.10 km/h
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	66.2 km/h	-4.00 km/h
4Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	66.2 km/h	-4.00 km/h
6Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	65.8 km/h	-4.40 km/h
7Nordman North RS3 SUV	64.8 km/h	-5.40 km/h
8Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	64.7 km/h	-5.50 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 7.8% (5.5 Km/H).

Snow

Snow Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Pirelli Ice Friction	12.01 m	Best	0 km/h
2Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	12.04 m	+0.03 m	6 km/h
2Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	12.04 m	+0.03 m	6 km/h
4Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	12.1 m	+0.09 m	11 km/h
5Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	12.11 m	+0.10 m	12 km/h
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	12.14 m	+0.13 m	13 km/h
7Continental VikingContact 8	12.17 m	+0.16 m	15 km/h
8Nordman North RS3 SUV	12.24 m	+0.23 m	18 km/h

All the tyres in the Snow Braking test finished less than 3% apart. From 130 km/h, the Nordman North RS3 SUV would still be travelling at 18 km/h when the Pirelli Ice Friction had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Snow Traction
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 8	1.92 s	Best
1Pirelli Ice Friction	1.92 s	Best
3Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	1.93 s	+0.01 s
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	1.93 s	+0.01 s
3Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	1.93 s	+0.01 s
6Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	1.94 s	+0.02 s
6Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	1.94 s	+0.02 s
6Nordman North RS3 SUV	1.94 s	+0.02 s

All the tyres in the Snow Traction test finished less than 3% apart.

Snow Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 8	69.2 s	Best
2Pirelli Ice Friction	69.5 s	+0.30 s
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	69.6 s	+0.40 s
4Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	69.7 s	+0.50 s
5Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	70.2 s	+1.00 s
5Nordman North RS3 SUV	70.2 s	+1.00 s
7Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	70.7 s	+1.50 s
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	71.3 s	+2.10 s

All the tyres in the Snow Handling test finished less than 3% apart.

Ice

Ice Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	11.7 m	Best	0 km/h
2Continental VikingContact 8	11.76 m	+0.06 m	9 km/h
3Nordman North RS3 SUV	11.77 m	+0.07 m	10 km/h
4Pirelli Ice Friction	11.87 m	+0.17 m	16 km/h
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	11.92 m	+0.22 m	18 km/h
6Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	11.99 m	+0.29 m	20 km/h
7Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	12.85 m	+1.15 m	39 km/h
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	14.7 m	+3.00 m	59 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 25.6% (3 m ≈ 0.7 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus would still be travelling at 59 km/h when the Michelin X Ice Snow SUV had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Ice Traction
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	5.23 s	Best
2Continental VikingContact 8	5.24 s	+0.01 s
3Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	5.27 s	+0.04 s
4Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	5.29 s	+0.06 s
5Pirelli Ice Friction	5.44 s	+0.21 s
6Nordman North RS3 SUV	5.45 s	+0.22 s
7Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	5.7 s	+0.47 s
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	7.14 s	+1.91 s

The difference between best and worst was 36.5% (1.91 s).

Ice Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental VikingContact 8	56.9 s	Best
2Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	58.6 s	+1.70 s
3Pirelli Ice Friction	59.2 s	+2.30 s
4Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	59.3 s	+2.40 s
5Nordman North RS3 SUV	59.4 s	+2.50 s
6Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	60 s	+3.10 s
7Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	62.4 s	+5.50 s
8Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	63.2 s	+6.30 s

The difference between best and worst was 11.1% (6.3 s).

Comfort

Noise
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	68.6 dB	Best
2Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	68.7 dB	+0.10 dB
3Continental VikingContact 8	69.1 dB	+0.50 dB
3Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	69.1 dB	+0.50 dB
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	69.6 dB	+1.00 dB
5Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	69.6 dB	+1.00 dB
7Nordman North RS3 SUV	69.7 dB	+1.10 dB
8Pirelli Ice Friction	70.3 dB	+1.70 dB

All the tyres in the Noise test finished less than 3% apart.

Value

Fuel Consumption
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Nordman North RS3 SUV	6.25 l/100km	Best	£0
2Hankook Winter i cept IZ3 X	6.3 l/100km	+0.05 l/100km	£14
3Michelin X Ice Snow SUV	6.35 l/100km	+0.10 l/100km	£28
3Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3	6.35 l/100km	+0.10 l/100km	£28
5Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV	6.4 l/100km	+0.15 l/100km	£41
5Maxtrek Trek M7 Plus	6.4 l/100km	+0.15 l/100km	£41
5Pirelli Ice Friction	6.4 l/100km	+0.15 l/100km	£41
8Continental VikingContact 8	6.5 l/100km	+0.25 l/100km	£69

The difference between best and worst was 4% (0.25 l/100km). Over 19,000 km a year at £1.45/L, the Continental VikingContact 8 uses about 48 L (£69) more fuel than the Nordman North RS3 SUV.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions. These calculators use the full test field, independently of your tyre selection above.

Petrol/Diesel Electric

Annual Mileage

19,000 km

km (L)

miles (US gal)

Fuel Price

£1.45/L

GBP (£)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

Set my vehicle consumption

Estimates based on typical driving conditions. Rolling resistance accounts for approximately 20% of IC vehicle fuel consumption and 25% of EV energy consumption. Actual savings vary based on driving style, vehicle weight, road conditions, and tyre age. For comparative purposes only. Lifetime savings based on a 40,000km / 25,000 mile tread life.